IOA officials tell Bach their opposition to Sports Bill

Miffed at the "interference" of Sports Ministry in its affairs, Indian Olympic Association today told the visiting International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to convey to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi its opposition to the Sports Code of the government in its current form.

Bach, visiting the country for the first time since being elected as IOC chief in 2013, had a meeting with top IOA members at a city hotel that lasted an hour and he will meet the Prime Minister later in the day.

The IOC chief also had an hour-long meeting with sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the same hotel. Sonowal was assisted by Sports Secretary Ajit Sharan and Sports Authority of India Director General Injeti Srinivas.

Former IOA Secretary General and Honorary IOC member Randhir Singh also attended both the meetings.

Later, Sonowal hosted a lunch for the visiting dignitary which was attended by top IOA and sports ministry officials, Minister of State Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, besides Sonowal.

Abhay Singh Chautala, who served as president of the IOA during the 14-month suspension from the IOC, told reporters after the meeting that the members have told Bach to convey to the Prime Minister that they would oppose the Sports Bill as it "interferes" with the autonomy of the IOA.

"For some time, there has been this issue of the implementation of the Sports Bill. The earlier Congress government had tried to implement this Sports Bill and the current BJP government is also saying that it will implement the Bill," Chautala, also an MLA of the Indian National Lok Dal in Haryana Legislative Assembly, said.

"The IOA members have requested the IOC President to convey to the Prime Minister when he meets him our feeling regarding the Sports Bill. There has been interference in the affairs of IOA from the Sports Ministry which is undermining the autonomy of the IOA under the Olympic Charter. This will harm Indian sports," Chautala, now a Haryana Olympic Association official, said.

The IOA's objection to the Sports Code centers around two major issues -- age limit of 70 of the office bearers of the IOA and the cutting into size the importance of the state units of the IOA.

There was speculation that India would express its willingness to bid for 2024 Olympic Games or for a later date but none of the officials as well as Sonowal could throw any light on that issue.

"We welcomed Mr Bach and his team to the country. We discussed how sports in India can be progressed further," Sonowal said.

Asked if there was any discussion on India's likely bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, Sonowal simply said, "We had a discussion about the development of sports in India. That is all."

Chautala said that IOA would support the government if it decides to bid for 2024 Olympics or at a later date.

Top officials of the IOA said that Bach expressed happiness on India coming out of the suspension and also praised them for amending the constitution that paved the way for revocation of the ban in February last year.

"Mr Bach expressed happiness that the suspension has been lifted and the IOA can now work for the development of Indian sports. He also congratulated us for amending the constitution. He said our constitution is now a very good and a modern document," an IOA vice president said.

IOC said that Bach was visiting India to discus with the Prime Minister and the sports authorities "the development of sport in India and the role that sport and the Olympic Games can have within the Indian society".

"He (Bach) is visiting India by invitation of the Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi and the Indian Olympic Association. India has an important role to play within the Olympic Movement. The IOC President intends to meet the Prime Minister and the sporting authorities in order to discuss the development of sport in India and the role that sport and the Olympic Games can have within the Indian society," IOC Media Relations Manager Sandrine Tonge said on a query.